• Denmark

The Kingdom of Denmark (pop. 5.5 million) is a constitutional monarchy and sover­eign state comprising the country of Denmark in northern Europe and two au­ton­o­mous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic.

Denmark is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, located southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland and many islands, most notably Zealand, Funen, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm, as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago.

Denmark's history has particularly been influenced by its geographical location be­tween the North and Baltic seas. This meant that it was between Sweden and Germany and thus at the center of the mutual struggle for control of the Baltic Sea; before the digging of the Kiel Canal, water passage to the Baltic Sea was possible only through the three channels known as the "Danish straits". Denmark was long in disputes with Sweden over control of Skånelandene (Scanian War) and Norway, and in disputes with the Hanseatic League over the duchies of Schleswig (a Danish fief) and Holstein (a German fief). Eventually Denmark lost the conflicts and ended up ceding first Skånelandene to Sweden and later Schleswig-Holstein to the German Empire.

Denmark became a member of the European Union (EU) in 1973 but remains outside the Eurozone, while both Greenland and the Faroe Islands have opted to remain outside the EU entirely. A founding member of NATO and the OECD, Denmark is also a member of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). With a mixed market economy and a large welfare state, Denmark ranks as having the world's highest level of income equality. The country has the world's seventh highest per capita income. It has frequently ranked as the happiest and least corrupt country in the world. In 2011, Denmark was listed 16th on the Human Development Index and 2nd on the Corruption Perceptions Index. The national language, Danish, is closely related to Swedish and Norwegian, with which it shares strong cultural and historical ties. Denmark, along with Sweden and Norway, is part of the cultural region known as 'Scandinavia' and is also a member of the Nordic Council.

 • Vejle

Vejle (pop. 50,000) lies in the southeast of the Jutland peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge, in southern Denmark. Vejle is serviced by Den­mark's second-largest airport, Billund Airport, located some 30 km from downtown Vejle. Airport buses run regularly to Billund Airport from Vejle Transit Centre.

Vejle is most known for its forested hills, fjord, harbour, shopping, pedestrian mall, and iconic windmill.

During the Middle Ages, Vejle was important as a market town, and developed along those lines up to the mid-17th century, trading with cities such as Lübeck and Flensburg, in what is now Germany. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Vejle's population was diminished as a consequence of plague and war. In 1796, though, Vejle was made the seat of the newly founded Vejle County, and the town expanded throughout the 19th century, benefiting from im­prove­ments such as a new harbour on the fjord, a railroad station, and modern utilities. From the mid-19th century into the 20th century, Vejle developed from a provincial market town into a busy industrial centre, eventually be­coming known as the 'Manchester of Denmark' for its many cotton mills.

Today, Vejle is a cultural and economic centre. It is rich in industry, business, and the service sector. Industry has always been very important for the city's development, while today more weight is placed on business and service, as well as high-tech firms.

Modern architecture in Vejle

Vejle is known regionally as a vibrant shopping town with a wide and varied offering of both chain and specialty shops, primarily located along the city's central pedestrian mall.

Vejle's oldest extant building, St. Nicolai Church, was built in the mid-13th century. On display in the church is the Haraldskær bog woman, a body from the Iron Age that was preserved with its skin intact in a local peat bog. Another feature of the church are 23 spherical indentations on the north transept – legend says these are imprints of the skulls of executed robbers from the Vejle area.

Museums include the Vejle Art Museum, with some Rembrandt pieces, and the Vejle City Museum, located in a renovated cotton mill.

Vejle also is situated close to several Jutland attractions such as the original Legoland, and the Viking Age royal capital of Jelling. Jelling's archaeological artifacts are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and include two 10th century rune stones and two burial mounds, as well as a new exhibition centre.

The original Legoland park, opened in 1968 in Billund. The Park is located next to the original Lego factory and Denmark's second busiest airport Billund Airport. 1.6 million guests visited the park in 2007 and over the years more than 40 million guests have been through the park. This makes it the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside of Copenhagen. The Legoland parks that have since been built are modelled upon Legoland Billund, most noticeably the Miniland area, which serves as the heart of the park.

 • Venue

Accommodation Rates Single Room DKK 612 (€85) Double Room DKK 504 (€70) 4-bedded Room DKK 396 (€55) Dormitory (up to 10 beds per room) DKK 324 (€45) • Rates are per person, per night, full board. Invoices will be issued in Danish Crowns (DKK), but may be paid in euros. Credit Cards are also accepted.

The championships will be held in Hotel Vingsted.

Vingsted Hotel & Conference Center Vingsted Skovvej 2 DK-7182 Bredsten Denmark Telephone Webiste Email +45 75 86 55 33 en.vingsted.dk info@vingsted.dk • To enjoy the special rates, please specify bridge in your communcations with the hotel